Yes - you can get business funding to open a new business, but a brand-new venture has no revenue history, so lenders lean on your personal credit, any collateral, and a clear business plan instead. Startup-friendly products like term loans, SBA loans, and equipment financing tend to fit best. The Broker Shop is a funding broker, not a lender - one 2-minute application gets you matched to the lenders whose guidelines you meet.
Can you get funding to open a business with no revenue?
Yes - but with no sales history, a lender can't judge your business on its numbers, so it judges you. Your personal credit, the cash or assets you can put in, and a realistic plan for how the business will make money become the main things a lender weighs. The stronger those are, the more options open up.
This is why opening a business is different from funding one that already runs. An established shop can borrow against its cash flow; a startup is borrowing against its potential. Being honest about that reality up front helps you target the products and lenders that actually work with new businesses instead of wasting time on ones that only fund seasoned companies.
What funding options fit a brand-new business?
The right product depends on what the money is for. A few options tend to fit startups:
- Term loan: a lump sum with set payments - good for one-time startup costs like build-out, initial inventory, or a first hire. See business term loans.
- SBA loan: government-backed and often the most affordable long-term option, though it asks for the most paperwork and a strong plan. See SBA loans.
- Equipment financing: the equipment itself acts as collateral, so it can be reachable early - ideal if your startup runs on machines, vehicles, or gear. See equipment financing.
- Line of credit: revolving access to cover uneven early cash flow once you have some footing. See business line of credit.
How do you qualify for startup funding?
Because there's no revenue to point to, qualifying is about strengthening the three levers a lender can see: credit, collateral, and plan. Keep your personal credit clean, be ready to show what you'll invest yourself, and put together a simple plan that spells out your costs, your market, and how you'll repay. Collateral or a co-signer can make a meaningful difference when the business is unproven.
It helps to have your paperwork ready before you apply - typically personal financials, a business plan, and any licenses or projections. See documents needed for business funding. If your credit isn't perfect, you still have paths worth exploring - see how to get business funding with bad credit.
How does The Broker Shop help a startup get funded?
The Broker Shop is a business funding broker, not a lender, so it doesn't lend its own money - it matches you to the lenders whose guidelines you meet. That matters most for a startup, because many lenders simply won't fund a new business, and applying to them one by one burns time and can ding your credit. One application routes you to the ones that do work with new ventures.
Checking your options won't affect your credit score, the service is free to the applicant, and advertised funding runs from $5,000 to $2 million. If you want to understand the model first, see how a business funding broker works, then start your application when you're ready to compare offers.
See what you qualify for
One 2-minute application is matched to the lenders whose guidelines you meet. It's free, and checking your options won't affect your credit score.
See What I Qualify For →The bottom line: A startup borrows against its potential, not its history - so lead with strong personal credit, collateral, and a clear plan, and one application gets you compared across the lenders whose guidelines you meet.